


The Raven Comes At Midnight

by daydreamhaze (nightmarefever), nightmarefever



Category: Gorillaz
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-22
Updated: 2015-02-22
Packaged: 2018-03-14 15:36:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3416114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nightmarefever/pseuds/daydreamhaze, https://archiveofourown.org/users/nightmarefever/pseuds/nightmarefever
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She's with the band again. She's with family again. For the most part. Some of them don't pay her much mind, though--one in particular. (Post Plastic Beach)</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Raven Comes At Midnight

When she was small, surrounded by a children's room and an adult's house, they'd come into her room at night. One of two, the tall blue man or the large smiling man. Usually with a book in their hands. It didn't start until she started picking up the language better, but once it did, it helped the nights that were once, frankly, scary and discomforting. 

They told tales of witches and princesses, dragons and ogres, zombies and those that slayed them. Stories that helped her sleep eagerly, ready to become the hero in her dreams. If not stories, there were movies. Falling asleep in the living room watching the tales play out on a wide screen. Whispered words from whoever was watching with her, reminding her to pay attention to certain parts when she was already so enthralled by everything that was happening. 

She'd wake up, tiny and well-rested, in her own room again at the end of it. Memories of the stories fresh in her mind, something to talk about over breakfast or find the rest of in the evening. (To which the third would always grumble about belittling her, about it being a waste of time to be doing what they did. But it never stopped them)

They never left her hanging, after all. If she fell asleep, she got to see the rest of the movie. Be told the last of the story. And then they'd give her a kiss on the forehead, tell her to sleep tight, crack her door open enough the hall light could seep in, and leave.

Noodle's not a child anymore. And this isn't her room.

This room wasn't designed with her in mind. It isn't hers but now it is. Even if the ceiling's empty, void of the paper lanterns that lit up her room years ago. And even if the walls aren't hidden by posters from all over the world. Posters she brought with her from Japan and from the destinations of tours. Those are all gone.

Clothes in drawers--gone. 

Most of the toys and dolls she held dear--gone. 

What she could save from the wreck of the studio lies close on the creaky bed she's claimed. Blankets rescued from the rooms she knew had once been inhabited, stuffed into bags with stuffed animals and her guitar. Which was broken, but what wasn't? She plans to fix it, she  _can_  fix it now that she's not alone. Not wondering around a burnt down building or making her way in an empty ship to some unknown but definitely there destination. 

In bed, staring at closed curtains, Noodle feels the comfort that the blankets provide. She holds them tight in her hands. Not wanting to let them go ever again. They remind her of the stories, the movies. 2D and Russel telling about princesses who slayed dragons and the undead alike. They kept the memories alive and safe during her journey, and, now, they keep her knowing the day will come and there will be band members outside her door. 

2D will be outside her door in the morning. He always is. Sometimes he'll arrive in the middle of the night or the afternoon, just to make sure he saw her that morning. Sometimes just to ask if she wants to watch a movie. She's hardly ever not in her room, given there's no other place to be, so she's there to be a reminder. 

He needs the reminders. 

Russel's too large to fit in the flat. But, sometimes, he'll knock on her window before she sleeps. They'll talk. She'll thank him yet again about rescuing her from that shipwreck. And he'll remind her she's strong and didn't  _really_  need his help. She's, after all, Noodle, the girl who traveled all that way on her own, crawled out of a wrecked windmill on her own. 

But she still thanks him. 

Murdoc...

She's not sure if she's seen him. She's been here for days, maybe weeks. And she's not once really seen him.

Maybe in passing, a green back walking down the hallway when she's coming upstairs. A wrinkled hand closing his door. A brush of black hair, just a glimpse. 

The last time she really saw him was when she stepped onto that plastic beach, the painted sand hard on her bare feet. Before 2D was coming out of a door, holding to her and never letting go. A glimpse of a surprised emerald face. 

By the time the strange cyborg behind him had attacked and Noodle was through with it, there weren't even glimpses. Murdoc was gone and even now, now that they were all in his flat after finding him, he is still gone.

He never answered her distress call, anyways. 

She doesn't care.

Noodle closes her eyes. One still pains. Bruises are almost done peppering it. It's almost done healing. She's thankful -- she doesn't want anymore reminders of the wreckage.

Her bed dips.

She blinks awake, noticing a glisten of light from the hallway. Someone's come into her room. The buzzing fan keeps them quiet from her. She doesn't turn to meet them, however. Whoever it is will announce themselves soon enough.

They clear their throat. "...Evenin', Noodle."

Her fingers tighten on the borrowed blankets. The hall's light puts her company's shadow against the wall. A thin, cramped frame and she doesn't need to see more. 

Murdoc rubs the back of his head, before leaning forward more. His frame turning into just a black spot on the wall. 

"I'm not sure if you're still awake... You used to have a lot of trouble sleepin', right?" 

Noodle nods to herself. Doesn't say anything. But they both know she's still awake. Even if he wasn't the one that checked up on her every night since her arrival years ago. She sleeps light, not heavy. She sleeps ready to jump at anyone who gets too near. 

He clears his throat again. This is awkward for him, for her. But he hasn't got up and left yet. 

"I'm not, eh, good at them. But I've got a story for you. I know you like stories. No title though. Titles are...are rubbish." From the way the shadow moves, she knows he's glancing at her. Seeing if she's moving, maybe looking at him. If he sees her eyes staring at the bedside table, he doesn't make any mention of it. Murdoc turns back to the door and starts his story. 

"So, uh, once upon a time, right, there was this princess." The man coughs. Noodle swallows and tries not to make it too harsh. "Truly amazing princess. Best in the land--any. Any land. She could kick any princess's ass. And she did." 

A slight smile comes to Noodle's face. Immediately bit back down by the lump in her throat. 

"But, see, there was this ogre. Nasty piece of work really..." He takes a deep breath. "Who...really did care for the princess. But didn't really  _show_  it. Or act like it. Honestly the ogre didn't really...realize how amazing the princess was until he couldn't a-appreciate her." 

Noodle tugs at her blanket again. Her eyes are forced onto the carpet, not wanting to watch Murdoc's frame. In case he's glancing at her again. 

"This was the dumbest ogre in all the land. And he ended up getting the princess killed -- or so it seemed. Because while the ogre was worrying, getting drun--getting merry off of....of elf nectar--"

It nearly pulls a giggle out of her hearing that but she refrains. The lump is still too harsh. Like any motions will stir her too much. 

Murdoc's taking another breath, thinking or resting or waiting. Waiting for what--probably her to make some sign she's listening and he isn't talking to an empty bed. He continues nonetheless.

"The princess was rescuing herself from the mess he'd put her in. This was, after all, the best princess in any land. So she...she climbed from the hell she'd been dumped in. She fought her way through....demons and dragons. And the dead. And the living... To find the ogre." 

She hears the pop from his lips. "To be reunited with this stupid, foolish, asshole of an ogre. So he can finally apologize for his actions and look upon the princess for what she is."

The bed dips closer to her. Noodle glances at the wall, seeing the frame coming closer. Her throat feels dry, sore, numb. 

She doesn't realize it's because she's crying. Not until he brushes hair from her cheek, kissing it softly. Her fingers on the blankets so tight she could rip them, the tears feeling like acid on her eyes.

"His princess."

Murdoc moves his hands from her face. Moves his body from her bedside, as his shadow tells her through her blurry vision. 

He pauses at her door, probably looking back at the girl in the bed that he gave to her without hesitation, despite refusing to see her. Or anyone. 

The doorknob sounds like a loud echo as he grabs it, the door creaking. 

"Good night, Noodle."

And he leaves a small sliver of light in her room. The hall illuminating her bed, like a child's room in an adult's house. 

Like her room in her house. 


End file.
